Reason 1. The reasons hereof are, because they are Jed hy the Spirit of Christ, who was all made of compassion ; for he wept for his friends, for Lazarus, and for his enemies. ' 0 Jerusalem, Jerusalem, how often would I have gathered you, and you would not.' He was tender in bearing the infirmities of his weak disciples and of weak women. His compassion was such as drew him to the lowest degree of humiliation to free us from danger.
Reason 2. Secondly, The saints have clear sanctijied judgments to aj^jjre- hend true causes of remorse. They know what danger is, as Paul saw here that the sheep were in danger of wolves, and saw the danger so much the greater by how much they saw not the danger they were in.
Reason 3. Thirdly, The saints have their hearts broken with sense and feeling of Chrisfs comixission in their hearts, and so are mollified, expressing it outivardly toiuards their brethren ; contrarily, the wicked never felt any remorse or pity^ of Christ in them, and therefore know not what compassion means, so as their mercies are cruelties. Use this as a note whereby we may discern of our Christian estate ; for surely where there is no compassion there can be no excellent estate.
Again, From the apostle's object of compassion and weeping observe, that spiritual evil and danger is the onost j^roper object of Christian compassion. Paul he pities not himself because of his fetters he was in, but it v/as the bonds of sin made him cry, ' 0 wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death ?' Eom. vii. 24. And good reason, for these spiritual evils of error in judgment, hardness of heart, security, seared conscience, and the like, they lead us the assured way to damnation, as it is said in the words following, ' whose end is damnation.' Contrarily, outward crosses being sanctified to us, they bring us to heaven, as it is 1 Cor. xi. 32, ' We are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be con- demned with the world.' For those crosses are occasions of good afiections, purging the heart from deadness and fleshly trust, they draw us to God ; and therefore spiritual danger is the proper object of pity. It is otherwise with us. We lament Christian bloodshed. But how many souls are carried into error daily, turned to popery, and no remorse, no pity ! There is great need thereof both in the magistrate and the minister, that they should be moved to provide remedies against such mischiefs.
And let us be far from envying such as are in ill courses ; let their out- ward pomp be never so great, rather lament their misery. Alas ! poor souls, how are they hurried, nay, do willingly run to destruction, while they are blinded with those idle shows of vanity.
But much more miserable is their estate that draio on others to mischief that are brethren in evil. What other end can they look for but to be as tares bound up and cast into the depth of hell, being guilty of as many men's deaths as they are of ill examples in their past life ?
But for ourselves, let not our souls come into their secrets ; let us mourn at the lewdness of some, and the danger of all. And to this end let us con- sider duly the afflictions of Joseph, taking heed of sensualities, which, as
PHILIPPIANS CHAP. Ill, VER. 18. 127
Hosea saith, taketh away the heart, Hosea iv. 11. Moses saw the misery of his brethren, and pitied them ; so should wo consider of the danger of popery, of schism, and rebellion : and this will break our hearts, and cause us, with Jeremiah, to mourn in secret for the sins of the times, Jer. xiii. 17.
Therj are the enemies of the cross of Christ.
In these and the following words is a description of these inordinate walkers which the apostle speaketh of. They are described by their disposition : first, outwardly, ' that they are enemies to Christ's death.' Then inwardly, ' Their belly is their God, they glory in their shame, and they mind earthly things.' Then by their end, which is ' damnation.' They are pointed out and described to us, to the end w^e might take notice of them. By the cross is not meant the sign of the cross, as the papists fondly imagine, but Christ's death on the cross, whereby was made satisfaction and redemption and reconciliation.
1. The enemies of this cross are, first, such as added hereto the cere- monial obedience to the law and their own satisfactory* works.
2. Secondly, Such as are carnal, denying the power of Christ's crucifying in not crucifying their aflections.
3. Thirdly, Such as could not endure or suffer for the testimony of Christ's crucifying ; and therefore to avoid persecution, they pressed circumcision with Christ, and so were enemies to his cross. Gal. vi. 12. Such were the enemies thereof then, and such have we now of the papists ; let them brag never so much of their esteem and reverence they give to the sign thereof. While they seem to kiss it, they betray it Judas-like. For while they teach merits, satisfaction in purgatory, indulgences, and the like, they make the cross of Christ of none eflect, which is only and wholly sufficient in itself.